The embodiments herein relate to surface modification emulsions comprising hydrophobically modified amine-containing polymers for use in subterranean formation operations.
Hydrocarbon wells are often at least partially located in unconsolidated portions of a subterranean formation. As used herein, the term “unconsolidated portion of a subterranean formation” refers to a portion of a subterranean formation that comprises loose particulate matter (e.g., particulates of sandstones, carbonates, limestones, coal beds, shales, diatomites, chalks; formation fines; and the like) that can migrate out of the formation with, among other things, the oil, gas, water, and/or other fluids recovered out of the well. The particulate material in a relatively unconsolidated portion of a subterranean formation may be readily entrained by recovered fluids, for example, those wherein the particulates in that portion of the subterranean formation are bonded together with insufficient bond strength to withstand the forces produced by the production of fluids through those regions of the formation. The presence of particulate matter, such as sand, in the recovered fluids may be undesirable in that the produced particulates may abrade pumping and other producing equipment, reduce the fluid production capabilities of certain portions of a subterranean formation, require costly cleaning operations to remove the particulate matter from the recovered fluids, and the like.
One method used to mitigate the migration of particulates in subterranean formations involves adhering the particulates together in an area of interest in the subterranean formation, which is usually accomplished by treating the particulates with traditional tackifiers. As used herein, the term “tackifier” generally refers to a chemical or polymer capable of forming a non-hardening coating on a surface of a particulate (e.g., formation fines, formation sand, proppant particulates, gravel particulates, and the like). Generally, traditional tackifiers are sticky to the touch, which may cause traditional tackifiers and coated particulates to accumulate on surfaces of wellbore tools (e.g., pumps, pipes, sand screws, and the like). Further, in deviated wellbores, the accumulation of tacky particulates can be especially problematic because particulate settling is magnified across the wellbore radius as compared to along the wellbore length. The accumulation of particulates within the wellbore can cause the pressure in the wellbore to increase, which can lead to costly formation damage. In some instances, remediation of accumulated traditional tackifiers and coated particulates can involve significant time and cost.
In addition to encountering unconsolidated particulates during subterranean formation operations, formations fluids may interact or otherwise contact the wellbore and downhole equipment (e.g., formation fluids may be produced to the surface, interact with various equipment and operations downhole, and the like). Formation fluids are generally complex mixtures of aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatics, hetero-atomic molecules, anionic and cationic salts, acids, sands, silts, clays, and a vast array of other components. Because of the complex composition of formation fluids and exposure to sometimes severe conditions of heat, pressure, and turbulence during a subterranean formation operation, scale (i.e., mineral or solid salt deposits) often precipitate and buildup in the subterranean formation (e.g., in the formation matrix, in proppant packs, and the like) and on the production equipment (e.g., sand screens, production tubing, and the like).
Scale can lead to corrosion of the production equipment, which shortens the lifetime of the equipment. Further, scale buildup in the formation may cause decreased permeability, and scale buildup in the equipment may choke off the flow path, both of which the reduce amount of hydrocarbons that can be produced from the formation. In some instances, the scale can be cleaned up. However, such cleaning operations are often time-consuming and costly and, in some instances, may utilize harsh chemicals that are environmentally unfriendly.